Electric switch



Nov. 20, 1934. A. ZWIERZYNSKI ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed June 10, 1951INVENTOR 51/ V 4 W ATTORN s Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED STATESELECTRIC SWITCH Alex Zwierzynski, New Henry Hyman,

York, N. Y., assignor to Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 10, 1931, Serial No. 543,342

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric switch that is especially usefulfor flashlights, but is not restricted to this particular use. By thisinvention a switch is provided which is locked in pre-determinedpositions so that in one position the circuit cannot be closed, inanother position the circuit can be intermittently closed by means of apush button, for example, and in another position the circuit is closedso long as the switch remains in this position. At the same timeprovision is made by which the danger of accidentally closing thecircuit is eliminated, as well as the danger of injuring the switch byforcibly pushing upon the push button.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection withthe accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section throughan illustrative embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is asection along the line 44 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofthe switch member.

In the drawing reference character 1 indicates on an enlarged scale aportion of the casing of a flashlight to which the device may beconnected for making and breaking the circuit between the battery andthe electric bulb. The invention may, however, be used in other places.

Reference character 2 indicates a housingthat is preferably made ofmetal and has a flange 3 along the side next to the casing 1 so shapedas to fit the outside of the casing and be riveted thereto by means ofthe rivets 4. A rim 5 is provided along the outer side of the housing 2for a purpose to be described and the flat top 6 of the housing is in aplane nearer the easing 1 than the top of the rim 5, thus providing adepression in which the switch operating member and the push button arelocated.

Two spaced, longitudinally extending slots 7 are provided in the flattop 6 of the housing and three transverse slots 8 are provided in thetop 6 near one end thereof between the slots 7. A hole 9 for a pushbutton is provided in the top 6 near the other end thereof.

A slidable switch operating member 11 is located on the upper side ofthe top 6 having a semi-cylindrically shaped portion 12 at one end and aflat extension 13 at the other end. The extending portion 13 hasdown-turned edges 13' which may be brought into contact with the uppersurface of the top 6. A pair of lugs 14, each one of which is slightlylonger than the thickness of the top 6 extend from the edges 13 of theportion 13 through the slots '7. Another pair of lugs 15 longer than thelugs 14, extend from the edges of the switch operating member 11 throughthe slots 7 to attach the switch operating member 11 to the slidableswitch 16 that is located between the top 6 and the casing 1 inside ofthe housing 2.

The switch 16 is more clearly shown in Fig. 5 and is preferably made ofa single piece of resilient sheet metal. One end of the switch 16 isprovided with a reduced portion 17 that is bent back to form a flatspring that is slidable along the surface of the casing l and is undertension to press the switch 16 against the lower side of the top 6. Theswitch 16 is also provided with a shoulder or edge 18 of cut metal thatis made by slitof the switch 16. The switch 16 is also provided 7 withnotches 19 on opposite sides thereof, through which notches the lugs 15on the switch operating member 11 extend so that the ends of these lugsmay be bent inwardly to contact with the lower side of the switch member16, thus attaching the switch operating member 11 to the switch 16, asmost clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4.

Converging slits 20 are made in the switch 16 to leave a somewhatwedge-shaped portion 21 having a free end that is bent downwardly andoutwardly in a curve, as indicated at 22 to slide along the surface ofthe casing 1, thus aiding in keeping the main portion of the switch 16in contact with the lower side of the top 6. A lug or projection 23 isformed on the portion 21 by striking up the metal, but without cuttingthrough the metal, thus leaving a slightly rounded shoulder for apurpose to be described below.

Arms 24 are left on opposite sides of the slits 20 and terminate in adownwardly extending lip 25 that can be pressed into position by a pushbutton to close the circuit in the intermediate position of the switch16.

A push button 27 is provided in the opening 9 of the top 6 and has aflange 28 resting against the lower surface of the top 6. The left-handportion of the flange 28 as seen in Fig. 1 is turned downwardly asindicated at 29 to provide a stop which contacts with the casing 1 tolimit the extent to i which the push button can be forced downwardly.The portion of the flange opposite the extension 29 is cut away, asindicated at 30 to form a stop against which the lug 23 strikes when theswitch 16 is pushed toward the left, as seen in Fig. 1. The portions ofthe flange 28 of the push button at the ends of the cut away portion 30extend longitudinally of the housing 2 forming arms 31 whose edges areturned down as shown at 32 to provide a pair of spaced fulcrum membersof somewhat triangular shape bearing upon the outer surface of thecasing 1 so that when the push button 2'? is pushed downwardly it istilted about the contact points of the fulcrum members 32 on the casing1 and is limited in this movement by contact of the flange 29 with thesurface of the casing 1. The flange of the push button 27 contacts withthe upper edge of the contact lip 25, but does not contact with theportion 21 of the switch 16 due to the fact that the flange 28 of thepush button is cut away as shown at 30.

A contact rivet 35 extends through the casing 1 and one end thereof islocated within the housing 2. One side of the circuit is connected tothe contact 35 by a connection, a portion of which is shown at 36, andthe other side of the circuit is connected to one of the rivets 4 by aconnection, of which a portion is shown at 37.

The operation is as follows:

When the switch 16 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the cut metal edgeof the lug 18 latches the switch 16 in position due to its contact witha cut metal edge of the farthest slot 8 to the right. Longitudinalpressure on the member 11 toward the left will not move the switch 16 solong as the parts are in this position. However, if downward pressure isapplied to the flat surface of the extension 13 the lugs 14 thereonwhich extend through the slots '7 and press against the switch member 16on opposite sides of the lug 18, force the switch 16 downwardly a slightdistance compressing the spring 17, thus releasing the lug 18 from theslot 8. Simultaneous pressure of the switch operating member 11 to theleft will then carry the switch 16 to the left. When the lug 23 strikesthe edge 30 of the flange of the push button 27 the resistance tofurther movement of the switch 16 indicates to the operator thatthe lug18 has reached the middle slot 8. At the same time the lip 25 hasreached a position where it could be pressed downwardly into contactwith the contact 35 to close the circuit. When the operator releasespressure on the extension 13 in this position the lug 18 latches in themiddle slot 8, whereupon pressure upon the push button 27 moves the lip25 into contact with the contact 35 to close the circuit as long as thepush button is forced downwardly. Release of pressure on the push button27 permits the spring arms 24 to return. the push button and open thecircuit.

When it is desired to keep the circuit closed continuously the switchoperating member 11 is pushed to the left as far as it will go bypushing downwardly upon the extension 13 and to the left on the portion12, thus releasing the lug 18 from the middle notch and also forcing thelug 23 to ride under the flange 28 of the push button until the end 22of the portion 21 of the switch 16 contacts with the contact 35, thusclosing the circuit until the switch is moved to the right. Movement ofthe switch 16 to the right can be readily accomplished simply bypressing the switch operating member 11 toward the right as the slopingsurface of the lug 18 permits this lug to be moved out of the slots 8.

The rim 5 surrounding the extension 13 and extending above it preventsthe extension 13 from being accidentally struck by objects to releasethe lug or catch 18 from the slots 8 with consequent danger of theswitch being moved to a circuit-closing position. Also, the limitationof inward movement of the push button 27 avoids the danger of the arms24 being sprung so far as to exceed the elastic limit of the metal, orinterfere with these arms springing back to their normal open position.

I claim:

1. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in awall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing,said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring meansnear opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter saidslots, and means to remove said lug from said slots and move said switchmember longitudinally.

2. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in awall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing,said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring meansnear opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter saidslots, and a push button for moving a portion of said switch memberlaterally.

3. In an electric switch, a housing having a plurality of slots in awall thereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing,said switch member having a lug to catch in said slots, spring meansnear opposite ends of said switch member to cause said lug to enter saidslots, a push button for moving a portion of said switch memberlaterally, and a contact to be contacted by said portion in anintermediate position of said switch member. I

4. In an electric switch for a flashlight, a contact attached to theflashlight casing, a housing having aplurality of slots in a wallthereof, a longitudinally movable switch member in said housing adaptedto be brought into engagement with said contact, said switch memberhavingalug to catch in said slots, said housing being provided with astop and said switch being provided with a lug to contact with said stopin an intermediate position of said switch memher.

5. In an electric switch, a housing, a push button extending through awall of said housing, a switch member in said housing having separatedextensions one of which is contacted by said push button, and having alug that strikes said push button in one position of said switch member.

6. In a switch for a flash light, a housing attached to the casing ofsaid flash light, a slidable switch member, springs at each end of saidswitch member to press it outwardly from said casing against saidhousing, a contact member on said casing under said housing, and a pushbutton extending through said housing and supported thereby, said pushbutton being fulcrumed on said casing and adapted to contact with saidcontact member.

7. In a switch for a flash light, a housing attached to the casing ofsaid flashlight, a slidable switch member, springs at each end of saidswitch member to press it outwardly from said casing against saidhousing, a contact member on said casing under said housing, a pushbutton extending through said housing being fulcrumed on said casing andadapted to contact

